History of Library Cataloguing

Apurva Shyam
Semester I
Master of Library and Information Science
Submitted to- Dr. Ashwini
 Library Catalogue

• Catalgoue – Greek Phrase – Katalogos

• Kata – According to / By
• Logos – Words / Order / Reason
• Catalogue – A work in which the contents are arranged in a
“reasonable” way in a particular “order” or according to a
set “plan”
• Generally, Library catalogue is a list of books and other
materials in a particular library, arranged according to a
definite plan or determined order and containing specified
items of bibliographic information for the purpose of
identification and location of the material catalogued.
Importance of Catalogue in Library

Librarian

Catalogue

Book Referenc
Selection e
Service

Subject Library
Reader
Experts Resource
s
 Purpose of Library Catalogue
• Help Library Users in identifying a document and
also help in selecting a work or works
expeditiously and exactly to his or her
requirements.
• Help the Librarians to achieve these by
satisfying various approaches of a reader
• Giving further assistance in the selection of exact
documents
• Bringing together other relevant information by
analytical entries, cross references, etc.
• To sharpen the search and leading to the exact
location of all relevant documents in the library.
 Cataloguing Codes

• 16th Century
• 17th Century
• 18th Century
• 19th Century
• The British Museum Cataloguing Rules
• Jewett’s Code
 Cataloguing Codes – 16th Century

• Alphabetical arrangement of entries first occurred in

bibliographies of early 16th century.
• Conrad Gesner’s Cataloguing method of 1548.
• Cataloguing methods of Florianus Treflerus (1560)
• Cataloguing methods of Andrew.
 Cataloguing Codes – 17th Century
• 1674 – Sir Thomas Bodley
– Evolved Cataloguing Code for Oxford University Library.
– Bodley’s Code included, among other regulations, a
classified arrangement with an alphabetical author
index arranged by surname.
• 1967 – Frederic Rostgaard, Paris, Published rules of setting
up
library catalogue.
– 1968, Second Edition of his rules
– Provided Subject arrangement sub-divided at
once chronologically and size of volume.
– Purpose – to bring the same subject and all editions of
work together at one place.
 Cataloguing Codes – 17th Century
• Three Bibliographies published – Deal with art of cataloguing
• These Bibliographers solved the problem of determination of
authorship, variant forms of author’s names, subject indexing,
etc., in a remarkable way.
• Preparation of main entry – under author
• Preparation of cross references – variant forms of author
names, subject entries
• See reference entries – Synonymous terms for subject
headings
1. Ioannes Antonides Van Der Lindin: De Scripts Medicis (1637) –
Western Frisian;
2. Martious Iipenius: Bibliogheca realis universalis omnium materiarum, etc
(1679- 1695) – Latin; and
3. Cornalius Beughum: Incunabula Lypographiae (1688) - Latin
 Cataloguing Codes – 18th Century
• 1791 – First national cataloguing code – Outcome of French
Revolution
• Government issued instructions to libraries for cataloguing
their collections.
• First time in history, the libraries were directed to use card
catalogue.
• To transcribe title page on the card and authors surname to
be underlined for filing word.
• If no author – Keyword from title to be underlined for filing
purpose.
• Collation – Number of volumes, size, statement of
illustrations, material, kind of type, missing pages, type of
binding, etc.
 Cataloguing Codes – 19th Century
• Modern cataloguing practice shaped and patterns set up
for systematic library cataloguing codes.
• Contributions by Library Congress and the British Museum
Library (British Library).
• Banded the Librarians together, organized conferences for
cataloguers to meet, discuss problems and exchange views
• Produced codes to standardize cataloguing practice and
brought out outstanding catalogues and catalogue services.
• Rev. Thomas Hartwell Horne Published – Classification
Scheme and code of catlaoguing rules in England.
• Hoene’s code provided that a book sought not be limited to a
single entry or to a single place in a scheme of
classification.
The British Museum Cataloguing Rules
• British Museum Trustees decided to have one complete
alphabetical catalogue
• 1834 – Requested Henry Babar, Keeper of Printed Books to
put up a proposal
• He suggested a name of Anthony Panizzi
• Panizzi formulated “Sixteen Rules” to guide in cataloguing
work for the new catalogue.
• 1840 – Panizzi developed the famous 91 Rules for the
British Museum Catalogue.
• These rules printed in 1841 provided basis for the codes in
the future for Anglo American Code of 1908 or ALA code
of 1941 and 1949 leading to the AACR of 1967 and 1978.
Establishment of Library Associations

• 1876 – The American Library Association

• 1877 – The (British) Library Association

• These associations paid special attention to resolve

problems of cataloguing and secure greater uniformity.
• 1883 – ALA published a condensed Rules for
Author and Title Catalogue.
• 1883 – Britain Cataloguing Rules were revised at
Liverpool together with Bodleian and British Museum
Libraries
 Panizzi’s Code of Cataloguing
• The 91 rules was an attempt to codify rules for compiling author
catalogue with logical guides for cross references.
• His code gives importance to the title page and favours direct
entries.
• He laid an emphasis on corporate authorship entry.
• Panizzi’s views on the cataloguing
1. Catalogue should not be prepared for an individual or for one
generation, but for many generations,
2. It should function as a part of ‘a great national undertaking’ for the
promotion in general.
• The Code was later on revised in 1936 and reduced to 41 rules.
• The last reprint is of 1948
 Jewett’s Code
• Charles C Jewett’s Code of 39 rules to secure
uniformity was published in US in 1852 and its second
edition in 1853.
• He gave set of rules and supplemented by explanation
and examples
• Basically derived from Panizzi but few changes
• Simplified treatment of Anonymous works
• Rule 23 – Corporate concept established clearly
• Suggested system of subject headings
• Remembered for his proposal of centralised and
cooperative cataloguing by means of Union Catalogue.
 Some other Cataloguing Codes
• Cutter’s Rule for Dictionary Catalogue
• Linderfelt Rules – Electric Card Catalogue Rules
• Dziatzko’s Rules – 1874 – Dziatzko’s Instructions
• Library Association Established
• AA 1908
• Prussian Instruction
• Vatican Code
– Rules for the Catalogue of Printed Books
Cutter’s Rules for a Dictionary Catalogue
• Charles Ammi Cutter
• Published his Rules for Dictionary Catalogue in 1876
• First code that got recognition outside the country
• First Edition – 205 Rules
– Tested on Library of the Baston Athenaeum collection
• Second Edition – 1889
• Third Edition – 1891
• Fourth Edition – 1904 – Washington DC
– Number of Rules 369.
– Still remains the most comprehensive code by single mind
– Became a national code reflecting the genius of the author
• Cuttter Died in 1903
Cutter’s Rules for a Dictionary Catalogue
• Only code that attempts to provide rules for all type of
entries of dictionary catalogue.
• Comprises rules for author, title, subject entries,
arrangement or filing of entries, etc.
• Descriptive cataloguing – Headings, body of card,
collation, contents, notes, capitalization and
punctuation, rules for cataloguing of special materials
were added.
• Emphasis on convenience of catalogue users rather than
the cataloguers.
• Code of CA Cutter is described as Classic and 1876 as
epoch making year in history of cataloguing
Classified Cataloguing Code (CCC)

• Compiled by Dr. S R Ranganathan, 1934

• Unlike local codes, Cutter’s DCC, ALA Rules, Prussian
instructions and Vatican Code
• CCC attempted to remove language restrictions
• Based on Canons of cataloguing
• Applied normative principles to the rules of cataloguing
in his second edition of 1945
• Third Edition 1951, aims at becoming a universal code
• Fifth edition with further modifications came out in
1964
• 1945 – Dictionary Catalogue Code – First Edition
• 1952 – Dictionary Catalogue Code – Second Edition
Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules

• Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules,

1967, (AACR)
• Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules,
1978, (AACR2)
• AACR2: 1998 Revision
• Structure of the Rules 1938 Revision
• Continuing Work on AACR
Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 1967
(AACR)
• Outcome of ALA 1949 Rules Criticisms
• Lubetzkey – ALA Code was unnecessary long and
confusing
• International Federation of Library Association
(IFLA) set up a Working Group – International
Coordination of Cataloguing Principles – met in
London in 1959.
• 1961 – International Conference on Cataloguing
Principles (ICCP) was held in Paris.
• As a result “Paris Statement” or the “Paris Principles”
was issued
Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 1978
(AACR2)

• Why AACR2? 1974, AACR Revision

Committee Outlined
1. To reflect developments of machine processing
2. Reconcile a single text of North American and
British including changes since 1967
3. Incorporate all proposals from ALA, Library
Association, LC, Canadian Library Association, British
Library, National Committees of other countries using
ACCR
4. Maintain general conformity with the Paris Principles of
1961 and the ISBD.
 AACR2: 1998 Revision
• Use of AACR2 disclosed inconsistencies and posted
problems.
• Joint Steering Committee for revision and
improvement of AACR2 was instituted
by
• Library of Congress and Four Associations as
American, British, Canadian and Australian
• They issued 3 sets of revisions in 1982, 1985 and
1993
• All these revisions approved by Joint Steering
Committee for the revision of AACR2
THANK YOU ALL